ATLANTA - The Georgia State volleyball team will open the 2021 campaign on Friday when it travels to Chattanooga, Tenn., for a 6 p.m. matchup against Chattanooga at Maclellan Gymnasium. 

Friday's contest against the Mocs will be the Panthers only exhibition match before they begin their 26-match regular season slate. A week after Friday's exhibition against Chattanooga, Georgia State will host the annual GSU Invitational (Aug. 27-28) where it will face Chattanooga once again, as well as opponents California Baptist and Memphis.

LAST TIME OUT
- Georgia State went 9-11 last season, including a 7-9 mark in conference play.
- The Panthers won seven of their last nine matches, which included a four-match winning streak before falling in the Sun Belt Tournament. 
- Head coach Sally Polhamus returns 11 players from a year ago, while welcoming nine newcomers. 
- Of note, super seniors Leah Wilcox and Meisheia Griffin will return for another season to lead the Panthers.

THE MATCHUP
- Georgia State will face Chattanooga twice in the next eight days as the Panthers will welcome the Mocs to Atlanta for the annual GSU Invitational a week from Friday. 
- Last season, the Panthers fell to Chattanooga in the regular season opener, 2-3. 
- Georgia State and Chattanooga have met 13 times all-time with GSU owning a 7-6 record.

SCOUTING THE MOCS
- Chattanooga finished the 2020-21 campaign with a 6-12 record overall including a 4-12 mark in the Southern Conference. 
- The Mocs return nine players from a year ago while welcoming eight newcomers to the program. 

NEXT UP
Georgia State will open the regular season when it hosts the annual GSU Invitational (Aug. 27-28). The Panthers will face Chattanooga and California Baptist on Aug. 27, before facing Memphis on Aug. 28.